Prepay-box for telephones.



F. L. FISHER.

PREPAY BOX FOR TELEPHONES.

APPLICATION FILED mmzz. 19:1.

RENEWED OCT- M1918.

Patented Nov. 26, 1918'.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

m1 noun nuns cu. "awn-ulna wnummom u c F. L. FISHER.

PREPAY BOX FOR TELEPHONE-IS.

APPLICATION FILED MAR.22. 1911v RENEWED on. 4. i918.

Patented Nov. 26, 1918.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

TINTTED STATES PATENT @FFTCE.

FRANK L. FISHER, 0F INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO WILLIAM NAY BOGGESS, OF DECATUR, ILLINOIS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 26, 1918.

Application filed March 22, 1917, Serial No. 156,617. Renewed October 4, 1918. Serial No. 256,917.

telephone systems and particularly to prepay boxes, designed for use in automatic systems, that is, systems wherein automatic signaling means at subscribers stations and selective mechanism is used at a central station, instead of operators. It is designed as an improvement over the invention disclosed and claimed in my pending application for improvements in telephone systems, filed January 24, 1916, Serial Number 73,955. In the circuit there disclosed, two coils were used to control the disposition of the coin, the operation being dependent upon the condition of the circuits, one coil when energized causing the coin to be deposited in the safe, and the other causing it to be returned to the depositor, in case the connection is not made. This circuit was found to be very satisfactory, but subject to one objection in practice, and that is, that, if the calling party before the called party answers, were to operate the receiver hook quickly, the coin return coil would be energized to return the coin and still the connection would not be broken. This is due to the fact that the connection is controlled by a slow acting relay at the central station.

To obviate this difliculty, I place a slow acting relay across the coin depositing coil for the purpose of opening the ircuit to the coin return coil, so that in order to energize the latter, the receiver hook must remain up long enough to allow the said slow acting relay in the box to fall back before the coin return coil will be energized and this will be sufficient to permit the connection con trolling slow acting relay at the central station to break the connection.

It is therefore the principal object of this invention to provide a system of this character in which the coils will always be operated in the proper manner and the coin handled properly.

To the accomplishment of the foregoing and such other objects as may hereinafter appear, my invention consists in the combination, construction and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and then sought to be defined in the appended claims, reference being had to the accompan ing drawings forming a part hereof, anc which show merely for the purpose of illustrative disclosure, a preferred embodiment of my invention, it being understood that various changes may be made in practice within the scope of the claims without digressing from my inventive idea.

In the drawings,

Figure 1 represents a View in front eleva tion of a prepay box constructed according to my invention, the coin being removed and parts broken away to facllitate disclosure;

Fig. 2 represents a view in elevation of the right hand side of the box showing the coin ways, and the cover being shown in section;

Fig. 3 represents a view in elevation of the left hand side of the box;

Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic illustration of the telephone set and prepay box at a sub scribcrs station, showing the normal condition of the circuit. .I have not illustrated in detail the set at the station, as that is of standard construction used in automatic systems, as at present installed. However, a full showing is made of the coin or prepay box with its contained wiring and mechanism. In addition, in Fig. 4:, I show a diagramv of the wiring of the set at a station to which reference is made, it being recalled that in automatic systems, lifting the receiver from the hook breaks one contact and makes another, and that signaling impulses are controlled by a selecting mechanism including a dial and various spring contacts. The numerals 1, 2, 3 and 4 designate binding posts or terminals in a telephone instrument itself. 5 designates the receiver, 6 the transmitter, and 7 the receiver hook, making connection alternately with contacts 8 and 9. The selecting mechanism is merely indicated by contacts 10 and 11 and 12. The receiver hook 7 is connected to terminal 1 by the conductor a. Conductor Z) connects terminal 2 with contact 11. Conductor c connects terminal 3 with contact 12. Conductor (Z connects terminal 1 with contact 9 of the receiver hook. Conductor e connects contact 8 with the receiver 5 and also has conductor f connected to contact 10. Conductor g connects contact 11 and terminal 2 with the transmitter 6.

The prepay or oin box has a similar series' of five terminals or bindin posts designated as O, 1, 2 3" and 4*, respectively,

' particularly to Fig. 4. Mounted therein, are the magnets A and B, condenser C, and slow acting relay D. The magnet A is polarized. Contacts 13, 14 and 15 are also mounted in the box, the latter being a double spring contact," normally in contact with 13, which contact is broken when the contact 13 is raised when spring contact 15 bears against contact 14 to establish a connection.

The wiring connections of these parts are as follows: Conductor it connects terminal 0 to contact 15 having the branch conductor 7? leading to one side of the condenser C. Conductor jconnects terminal 1 to one side of coil B, the other side of which is connected by conductor to the contact 16 of the slow acting relay D. The other contact 17 of relay D is connected by means of con ductor Z to contact 14, m indicating part of this connection which leads to one side of the relay D and having the other conductor a leading to one side of the coil A, the other side of which is connected by conductor 0 to the other side of relay D. The other side of coil A has the conductor 2) leading to the other side of the condenser C and to terminal 3 Conductor Q connects con-tact 13 with terminal 2 The ringing set E is across contacts 0 and 4".

The prepay or coin box itself and its contained mechanism are shown in Figs. 1 to 3, inclusive. It has mounted therein the two magnets or coils A and B, the condenser C, the slow acting relay D, and the binding posts or terminals 0, 1 2, 3 and 4 previously referred to. These magnets or coils have the single armature 2O pivoted there-- between and have the usual spring controlled members permitting this movement in either direction when the proper magnet is energized and causing the return of the armature to its normal position when the circuit is broken. These magnets or coils are suitably supported on the iron bracket "21, and it is understood that the core of coil B is insulated from this bracket. On the side of the box adjacent the armature I mountthe coin run-way 22 which begins at the coin receiving slot and has two termini, one being the return tray 23 and the other the delivery chute 24 into the safe 25. The coin is directed positively into one orthe other by means described in my said co-pending application, according to the condition of'the circuits.

Mounted beneath :the magnets or coils A- and B, is the long operating arm 26, this being pivotally mounted and having its coin supporting end portion 28 positioned in the coin run-way so that a coin deposited in the slot will drop thereon and be supported thereby. This lever arm controls the position of contacts 13, 14 and .15, the spring arm 29 carrying the" contact 13, this arm being the longest and having the insulating bearing member 30 which is engaged by the end extension 31 of lever 26. The lowest arm 32 is a spring member which forms contact 15 and is adapted to contact with either the upper arm 29 or the intermediate arm 33 which is contact 14. The normal tendency of spring arm 32 is to move upwardly, but as its contact engaging end bears against arm 29, contacts 14 and 15 are held .apart until the lever arm 26 is depressed by the weight of a cointhereon, which raises spring arm 29 and permits spring arm 32 to move upwardly to cause contacts 14 and 15 to engage.

The only circuits which need be described in this application, are those relating to the action of the coin controlling coils or magnets. When the receiver at the calling station is removed from its hook andlthe coin is dropped into the slot, and rests on the end of lever arm 26, contacts 13 and 15 will be separated and 14 and 15 connected, the circuit for the selective impulses being as follows: terminal 1*, connector 1*, terminal 1, conductor a, hook 7, contact 8, conductor 6, receiver .5, transmitter 6, conductor g, contacts 11 and 12, conductor c, terminal 3, connector 3', terminal 3 conductor 9, coil or magnet A, conductor a, conductor m, contacts 14, 15, conductor l a line terminal 0. As the slow acting relay D is bridged across coil A, current is also flowing through the relay by means of conductor 0 to conductor m, the rest of the circuit being as described. This, therefore, opens the contacts 16 and 17 so that there will be no current flowing through coil B. As coil A is polarized the current is flowing therethrough in the wrong direction so that it is not energized. When the receiver at the called station is removed from its hook, the direction of the current is reversed by means of the usual connector relays at the central station and the magnet A energized so that the armature is moved and the meansactuated to cause the coin to drop into the safe.

If the receiver at the calling station is replaced on its hook before the called station answers, this last mentioned circuit is broken and the slow acting relay returns to its normal position. The circuit is then from line terminal 1*, conductor j, coil B, conductor 70, contacts 16, 17, conductor Z, con ductor m, contacts 14, 15, conductor 72., line terminal 0, so that the coil or magnet B is energized to movethe coin so that it will be deposited in the return tray. 1t will-be understood that this condition does not occur until the slow acting relay returns to its normal position and contacts 16 and 17 are engaged. This, therefore, prevents the party at the calling station from. quickly actuating the receiver hook and energizing the coil or magnet B to return the coin without breaking the connection at the central station, this being possible with prior circuits on account of the fact that the slow acting relay is used at the central station for connection purposes.

In case the calling party is on a party line, and does not listen in before depositing the coin, and the line is busy, the current is not suflicient to operate coil or magnet A which is polarized, but will operate the slOW acting relay D so that when receiver is replaced, coil or magnet B which is not polarized, will operate to return the coin, this coil or magnet B being operated by current in either direction.

It is to be noted that both coils are never on the line together, and that this circuit gives greater security in that no condition can cause the coils to operate in the wrong manner. It is not necessary to have the coin return coil or magnet polarized. The slow acting relay D is bridged across the coil A.

'What I claim is 1. In a telephone system, the combination of talking and listening instrumentalities, signaling mechanism, a prepay box, means for supporting a coin, electro-magnets for controlling the disposition of the coin to be returned or to be deposited, interconnections controlled by said coin supporting means whereby the talking and listening instrumentalities are placed in series with one of said electro-magnets while a coin is supported thereon, and slow acting means for controlling the circuit through the coin return electro-magnet.

2. In a telephone system, the combination of talking and listening instrumentalities, signaling mechanism, a prepay box, means for supporting a coin, a polarized electromagnet for causing the coin to be deposited, another electro-magnet for causing the coin to be returned, a slow acting relay bridged across said polarized electro-magnet and having contacts to control the circuit through said coin return electro-magnet and interconnections controlled by said coin supporting means whereby the talking'and listening instrumentalities are placed in series with one of said electro-magnets while a coin is supported thereon.

3. In a telephone system, the combination of talking and listening instrumentalities, signaling mechanism, a prepay box, a lever arm for supporting a coin, a polarized electro-magnet for causing the coin to be deposited, another electro-magnet for causing the coin to be returned, a slow acting relay bridged across said polarized electro-magnet and having contacts to control the circuit through said coin return electro-magnet and interconnections controlled by said lever arm for placing the system in condition for proper operation, depending upon the conditions at the stations.

4. In a telephone system, the combination of talking and listening instrumentalities, signaling mechanism, a prepay box, means for supporting a coin, a polarized electromagnet for causing the coin to be deposited,

another electro-lnagnet for causing the coin to be returned, and slow acting means for controlling the circuit through said coin return electro-magnet.

5. In a telephone system, the combination of talking and listening instrumentalities, signaling mechanism, a prepay box, means for supporting a coin, a polarized electromagnet for causing the coin to be deposited, another electro-magnet for causing the coin to be returned, and a slow acting relay adapted to break the circuit through said coin return electro-magnet when energized.

6. In a telephone system, the combination of talking and listening instrumentalities, signaling mechanism, a prepay box, means for supporting a coin, a polarized electromagnet for causing the coin to be deposited, another electro-magnet for causing the coin to be returned, a slow acting relay adapted to break the circuit through said coin return electro-magnet when energized, said relay being in circuit when the receiver hook contact is made, but being out of the circuit when the receiver hook contact is not made.

7. In combination, in a telephone system of the character described, electro-magnets for controlling the deposit and return of the coin and a slow acting relay for controlling the circuit through the coin return electromagnet.

8. In a telephone system, the combination of talking and listening instrumentalities, signaling mechanism, a prepay box, a lever arm pivotally mounted therein and adapted to receive and be depressed by the weight of a coin, a pair of electro-magnets having a common armature pivotally mounted, means connected to said armature for moving the coin in either direction ofi of said lever arm, a slow acting relay bridged across the coin deposit magnet and arranged to break the circuit through the coin return magnet when energized.

9. In a telephone system, the combination of talking and listening instrumentalities, signaling mechanism, a prepay box, a lever arm pivotally mounted therein and adapted toreceive and be depressed by the Weight of a coin, a pair of electro-magnets having a common armature pivotally mounted, means connected to said armature for moving the coin in either direction off of said lever arm,

a slow acting relay bridged across the coin deposit magnet and arranged to break the,

turn electro-magnet being, energized When the recelver of the calllng statlon 1s replaced on itshook before the connection is com- 10 pletedWith the called station, so as to move the coin for return.

FRANK L. FISHER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Paten'cs,

' Washington, D. G. a 

